Protective gear, such as chest protectors, helmets, masks, and shin guards, has long been used to protect baseball and softball catchers from pitched balls and balls deflected or “foul-tipped” off of bats. Chest protectors are typically made from a relatively flexible material, and generally have energy-absorbing foam or other energy-absorbing padding sewn or stitched into the flexible material for absorbing the impact of a pitched or tipped baseball or softball. Straps are commonly attached to the chest protector for securing the chest protector around the back of the catcher.
Chest protectors often include energy-absorbing padding that is stacked asymmetrically to absorb impact particularly well from objects striking the front-facing surface of the chest protector. The energy-absorbing padding is typically a closed-cell foam material capable of withstanding and absorbing significant impacts from a ball. As a result, the wearer is protected, and the ball is prevented from deflecting or bouncing a great distance from the wearer due to the energy-absorbing characteristics. An outer layer of fabric is typically stitched to the energy-absorbing padding, while an inner layer of fabric is typically stitched or compression-molded to the energy-absorbing padding.